1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to the compilation of computer usable program code. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to just-in-time compiler support for interruptible code.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compilers are software programs used to translate program instructions written in a source language to equivalent program instructions written in a target language. The source language is often a high-level language designed to be interpreted by humans. The target language is often a low-level language suitable for execution by computer hardware. Thus, the compiler is said to compile the source code into executable code.
Optimizing compilers are used to improve the quality of the program instruction generated without changing the intended meaning of the source code. For example, an optimizing compiler can reduce the time required to execute the program instructions or the memory footprint of the resulting program. During the optimization process, the source code is often re-ordered so that commands are executed more efficiently. Methods are continually sought for improving the effectiveness of optimizing compilers.